"Today we are announcing the project release of MeeGo v1.0. This release provides developers with a stable core foundation for application development and a rich user experience for Netbooks. The MeeGo Netbook user experience is the first to appear, with the development of the MeeGo Handset user experience moving to the open in June."

This is incorrect. The stuff you have seen is current iteration of "Netbook UX" (user experience) for MeeGo, which is indeed basically new Moblin.

The Handset UX will be released at a later date.

But don't you think that having just a single code base (let's call it: Core UX) implemented on Qt would have done their lives easier? and the specific things for netbooks and phones coming on top of that? Having two or more "personalities" on top of the core OS will be a headache.

Ok, I don't have any technical knowledge on Meego/Maemo/Moblin so I'm just speculating here.

But don't you think that having just a single code base (let's call it: Core UX) implemented on Qt would have done their lives easier?

Not really at this timeframe.

It would make the life easier if it was there already, but these people have products to deliver and deadlines to meet - and code that exist already.

The important thing is that application developers have a consistent api to develop against. Whether the window manager is coded with xlib or turtles does not make or break the platform, even thought in the long run maintenance of consistent system is cheaper.